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Metacarpal Bones

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Description

The anatomy of the human hand: a visual representation highlighting the various bones comprising the hand[1]
Image depicting fingers starting at the metacarpal bones near the wrist. Metacarpal bones 1 thru 5 in the right hand are numbered in the figure[2]
Illustration of the the metacarpal bones
Anatomy of the metacarpals

Other Names

  • Metacarpus
  • Palm Bones
  • Metacarpals
  • Os Metacarpale
  • Metacarpals
  • Ossa metacarpi
  • Metacarpal bones of the hand
  • Hand metacarpals

Etymology

  • Latin from metacarpium
  • Meta (beyond) and carpal (wrist)

General

  • There are 5 metacarpal bones, one corresponding to each finger
  • Appendicular bones form the intermediate part of the hand between the phalanges and carpal bones
  • Homologous to the metatarsal bones of the foot

Anatomic Description

  • Form a transverse arch fixed proximally to distal carpal row and distally to the proximal phalanges
  • Body
    • Prismoid form, curved
    • Medial and lateral surfaces are concave for the attachment of the interosseus muscles
    • Dorsal surface forms attachment for extensor muscles
    • Tubercles on digital extremities are attachments for the collateral ligaments of the metacarpophalangeal joints
  • Base:
    • Cuboidal, articulates with the carpal bones
  • Head:
  • Neck:
    • Transition zone between the body and the head

Muscle Attachments

Tendon Attachments

Articulations

Vascular Supply

  • Palmar metacarpal arteries arise from the deep palmer arch[3]
  • Common palmer digital branches of the superficial arch of the metacarpal heads
  • Dorsal metacarpal arteries are branches of the posterior carpal arch

Innervation

Clinical Significance

Boxer's Fracture[4]

Pathology

See Also

References

  1. ↑ Nagaraju, Y., et al. "A feature-enhanced multiscale attention approach for automated hand bone segmentation." Multimedia Tools and Applications 84.16 (2025): 15949-15969.
  2. ↑ Blake, Dana Daniel, et al. "Perceptions and Reflections of a Professional Pianist: A Case Report on Learning Human Anatomy through Cadaveric Dissection." International Journal of Cadaveric Studies and Anatomical Variations 4.1 (2023): 56-60.
  3. ↑ Mcminn. Last's Anatomy. Elsevier Australia. (2003) ISBN:0729537528
  4. ↑ Case courtesy of Dr Fadi Ali, Radiopaedia.org, rID: 85147
Created by:
John Kiel on 22 September 2023 13:02:39
Authors:
Last edited:
21 April 2026 01:00:33
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